Bernard w



(No Model.) B KARST MATCH BOX 0R SAFE.

Pafented Apr.l12,'1898.

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o.. wnsmmzfou u q NrrED STATES PAT-ENT ilfiEErcE.

RERNARD w. KARsr, oF HARLANSBURG, INDIANA, AssIcNoR or ONE-HALE To GEORGE E. MILLER, 0E SAME PLACE.

MATCH BOX 0R" SAFE.

SPECIFICATION forming-.part 0f Lettelysvlale' No. 602,333, (lated April 12, 1898. Application filed October it), 1897. Serial No. 655,670. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern: A

Be it known that I, BERNARD W. KARsT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Harlansburg, in the county of Huntington and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Match Boxes or Safes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention is directed to improvements in that class of matchrbox'es or safes which are designed for the delivery of the articles singly to the user.v

The object of the invention .isv to simplify and improve the general construction and operation of such devices and to provide for the deliveryof the articles from the original package, all of which is hereinafter fully and clearly described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings7 forming a part of this'specication, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved match box or safe. Fig. 2 is a vertical central sectional view of the same, showing the parts in position for engaging a match; 'and Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view showing the parts in position for delivering a match. This figure also shows the rear portion of the casin g open for the reception of a package of matches.

Referring to the said drawings by letter, A denotes the casing, which is of general rectangular form and comprised of the base a, the sides a a', the top a?, the front as, which is slidably arranged ingrooves in the base and top, and the back a4, which is hinged to permit of its being moved to give access to the interior of the casing.

In the casing'is a partition l), by which is formed two compartments, in the forward one of which is the picker C, while the rearward one is adaptedto receive a package or box of matches such asis shown in Fig. 2. The partition b terminates a short distance above the base a and above a guide-plate d, said guideplate extending on an incline from the base upwardly and rearwardly to the back a4 and serving asa support for the package of matches and also as a guide to conduct the articles from the box into position to be engaged by the picker in the forward compartment. The

Vback c4 is pivoted near its lower end to the sides'iof the casing, and by exerting pressure at said lower end the back is caused to open,

as shown in Fig. 8, to allow of the insertion 6o of the package.

' e denotes a stop against which the back is closed, and e is a thumb-screw to lock the back in its closed condition. To supply the safe, the back is opened and a package inserted to occupy the rearward compartment land rest on the guide-plate, the lower end of the package being partly or wholly torn or broken away to allow of the contents passing therefrom' down the guide-plate to the bottom 7o of the forward compartment,'where they are in position foren gagement by the picker.

The picker C comprises an arm pivotally secured toa guide-block c, which occupies the forward compartment and is vertically movable therein, and two picker-lingers c c,which are arranged to project from the lower end of the arm and are separated a distance slightly less than the diameter of a match.- Between the fingers is a shoulder c2, which provides, 8o with the fingers, a recess for the reception of a single match. The other end c3 of the arm is cam-shaped and projects beyond the inner side of the block c into a groove b', provided in the outer side of the partition h. At the upper end of the groove, which is s ome distance below the top of the partition, is an opening` b2, the upperside b3 ofwhich forms a shoulder against which they end c3 of the arm abuts when the picker has reached its 9o upward limit. The engagement of the arm with the shoulder b3 causes the inner end to be depressed and to occupy the opening b2 and the outer end carrying the picker-iingers to be elevated and projected through and beyond a slot a5 inthe front a3. This slot is in the form of an invertedT, `the-vertical portion receiving the picker and the horizontal portion allowing of the projection of the m atch held by the pickerfngers. The picker is deroo pressed to engage a match by the action of gravity, and to elevate the picker and the engaged match I employ a hand-cord f, which is attached at one end to the blockyand is passed around a sheave f in the upper end of the forward compartment and thence through an opening in the side of the casin g. f2 is a hand-button secured to the cord for ready manipulation, and f3 is a stop which when engaged by the button maintains the elevated position of the picker, as shown in Fig. 3.

It will be understood from the figures of the drawings that the matches pass from the package down the guide-plate and collect at the base of the forward compartment when they are in the path of the picker. The picker being elevated and then released falls to the bottom of the compartment and the fingers engage a match about centrally of its length. A pull on the cord elevates the picker, and when the upward limit is reached the picker is tilted and the match is projected without the casing and may be removed by hand.

I claim as my inventionl. A match box or safe comprising a casing having a delivery-slot in its front, and an openable back, a partition separating the interior of the casing into two compartments and provided with a groove and an opening at the upper end of the groove, a picker carried bya guide-block movable in the forward compartment, said picker comprising a pivoted arm having at one end picker-fingers and at the other end a cam projection movable in the groove and adapted to enter the opening to tilt the picker .and project the iingers through the delivery-slot, means for elevating the picker, and a guide-plate leading from the rearward into the forward compartment, substantially as described.

2. A match box or safe comprising a casing having a delivery-slot in its front, and a back pivoted near its lower end, a partition dividing the interior of the casing into a rearward compartment for containing a package Aof matches and a forward compartment, said partition having a groove terminating at its upper end in an opening, an inclined guideplate to guide the matches from the package into the forward compartment, a guide-block vertically movable in the forward compartment, a picker-arm pivotally secured to said block and carrying at one end picker-fingers and having at its other end a cam projection for cooperating with the groove and opening, a cord connected to the block and passed around a sheave in the upper portion of said compartment and passed through the side of the casing and provided with a hand-button, and a stop on the outer side of the casing adapted for engagement with the button to hold the picker in its elevated position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof l aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BERNARD W. KARST.

lVitnesses:

GEORGE E. MILLER, Il. F. ZEERT. 

